cloversworld (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
cloversworld) wrote2009-06-28 05:33 pm
cloversworld) wrote2009-06-28 05:33 pm
Entry tags:
AU Fic: Gravity, Vol. 1.03
Title: Gravity, 1.03
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
clover71
Pairing: David Cook/ David Archuleta
Rating: PG-13 (for the swear words)
Description: AU story. A sci-fi!fic patterned from the likes of X-Men, Generation X, X-Factor and other old X titles.
Summary: After an unfortunate accident involving David Archuleta’s family and his growing powers, he was sent to Jackson Institute where he was placed under the tutelage of David Cook, the arrogant and over-confident mentor.
Disclaimer:
1) Please note that this is purely fiction and none of the contents are real except for some of the characters used in this story.
2) Most characters used are based on real people but the details within do not purposely imply occurrences in real life; thus, anything here that concurs with real events may be completely coincidental.
3) This fic is created based solely on the imagination of the author and for non-profitable purpose.
Previous Parts: MASTER POST
Author's notes:
- Notes from the first part
- Some of terms here are non-existent, i.e. 'five-dimensional', which I'm not even sure is being used already. But this is a make-believe world and we can just pretend that such advanced stuff exists.
- This was not beta'ed, so please excuse any mistake on grammar or spelling. As you all probably know by now, I normally write when I'm sleep-deprived.
Vol. 1.03
~ begin ~
“We haven’t fully discovered what exactly his ability is,” Brooke handed Cook the folder containing David Archuleta’s record. She wasn’t the least bit surprised when Cook had started demanding for information about David as soon as he got back after being gone for what seemed like only seconds. She and Randy had telepathically sensed his encounter with the boy. “Although we can give a good guess. So far, based on the twenty-four hour observation, we’ve discovered that temperature increases within the area where David is whenever his blood pressure rises.”
“You mean, when he’s angry?” Cook interjected.
“Or upset, or scared, or maybe even overly excited,” Brooke added. She went on explaining how they first thought it was the boy’s body temperature that reacted to the change in his brain activity and blood pressure when he was unconscious, but they discovered later on that David was in fact emitting enormous heat energy from his body. “So the infrared thermometer actually picked up the heat energy surrounding his body and not from within,” she pointed out, showing Cook the detailed reports of David’s evaluation.
“Wait,” Cook raised his hand before Brooke could continue, “You mean to tell me he’s a potential…” He didn’t find a need to say anything more because Brooke was already nodding her head. “Stop reading my mind, lady.”
Brooke sniggered. “I wasn’t reading your mind, Dave,” she said with a playful smirk. “You’re just too transparent.”
Cook dropped the folder on Randy’s desk and rubbed his face with his hands, grumbling, “I don’t believe this.” He turned to Brooke, willing her to say that she was simply pulling his leg. But she just crossed her arms over her chest and gave her usual I’m-not-reading-your-mind-so-speak-up look.
Randy walked in just as Cook was saying, “So is this a fucking practical joke? Placing someone with the exact opposite ability I have under my freaking tutelage?”
“We thought you’d like the challenge,” Randy said nonchalantly and added, “Mr. Archuleta already left but he wanted me to tell you how much he appreciates your willingness to take his son under your wing.” He raised an eyebrow when Cook snorted but he went on, saying, “And he also thinks we couldn’t have picked a better handler. I hear you have quite an effect on the boy.”
Cook could tell Randy was teasing. Sure, the headmaster was quite difficult to read but Cook did not need to be a telepath to know that Randy was getting to a point wherein he would mess with his head until he was comfortable enough to give in to whatever idea that was stirring up in the headmaster’s seemingly unlimited brain.
Then Brooke had to add fuel to the fire with, “Yeah, I heard he finally spoke,” which apparently reminded Cook to ask what he had been meaning to.
“What’s with his long-time silence anyway?” he raised, recalling that he had not heard the boy speak until moments earlier, not even when he went to the medical wing to pay him a visit the other day.
“There was an accident involving David and his siblings seven months ago,” a look of sorrow swept over Brooke’s face and she paused a moment, as if contemplating whether she should say anything more about it. Sighing, she went on and, “Since then, he seemed to have locked himself inside his own world and refused to speak to anyone.”
“Until today, that is,” Randy had rounded his table and settled on his high-back chair.
“Should I be flattered?” Cook asked but when all he got was an unreadable look from the headmaster and a raised eyebrow from his colleague, he continued, “What accident was that anyway?”
Brooke simply shook her head. “His father refused to get into the details, so we didn’t push it.”
“But that doesn’t mean you don’t know,” Cook could tell there was more to it than she was letting on. He knew that even if Brooke and Randy followed a certain code of ethics when it comes to mind-reading, they have other means of digging for information. “Let me guess,” Cook said when neither of his companions spoke, “You’re not gonna tell me anything. I’m gonna have to find out for myself, right?”
Cook didn’t see David until dinner that night. The young man was seated along with the other youngsters they had rescued recently, as well as the long-time young students at the institute. He didn’t seem to take part in the conversation but he did smile occasionally and glanced at Cook’s direction once in a while.
“I hear you got yourself an apprentice,” Michael said, leaning closer to Cook as he returned the platter he was holding at the center of their table.
Carly, who was on Cook’s other side, followed up with, “I’m glad you decided to give teaching another try,” before Cook could say anything.
“About time too,” Jason jumped in and he cowered slightly when Cook glared at him from across the table. ”Uhm… uh-I mean, it’s been two years since –“
“That doesn’t have anything to do with my decision,” Cook quickly cut Jason off before he could say anything more and he was grateful when Kristy joined them right at that moment with her usual daily dose of gossip.
Cook spent hours in the research room after dinner. He decided to check the information Carly had been able to gather and had left in his inbox folder. There was nothing more than what he had already heard, except some bits and pieces.
Hmm…Interesting, Cook thought. He found an article about illegal experiments involving bio-chemical and organic weapons that had been concluded to be extremely dangerous; thus, the government had ordered the military agency responsible to shut it down completely. There had been attempts to resurrect the project but–
He caught something interesting on the page that had just come into view. With his eyes still intently fixed on the computer’s screen, he clicked on the link of the article’s title: ‘Fire destroyed home in Utah, killed 2 children, 1 left in critical condition, oldest son faces blame on arson.’
He dropped the pen that was caught between his teeth, which bounced off on the keyboard, when a photo of a teenager appeared on the screen. “Holy mother fucker,” Cook blurted and his hand gripped tightly on the mouse as he scrolled down on the article, reading some lines twice to make it sink in.
No faulty electrical wires, no broken gas pipes were found, Cook read on, eyes skimming over the bright surface of the monitor. He was too concentrated on what he was reading that he did not give heed to the puffing sound behind him.
“You’re still working?” Jason took the seat right next to Cook.
“Just reading some stuffs Carly left for me,” Cook said without looking away from the screen. “What time is it anyway?”
“Almost eleven,” was Jason’s reply. His fingers began working on the keyboard. “Mike is looking for you, by the way. Says he wants to discuss David’s training program with you. I think he plans to have him start at the Hazard Ground tomorrow.”
“Already?” Cook quickly turned to Jason, “Isn’t it too soon? The boy hasn’t been properly oriented yet.”
“I don’t know anything man,” Jason turned to Cook briefly and shrugged a shoulder. “Just passing a message, that‘s all.”
“Fine. I’ll go find Johns,” Cook decided and he closed out the browser window before heading over to the den at the upper ground level of the manor where Jason said he might find Michael.
“Ah! Just the man I need,” was Michael’s reaction when Cook entered the room..
“So what’s with this putting David up on a Hazard Ground session?” Cook preferred to go straight to the point. It was late and he was tired and he wanted to call it a night. And he certainly wasn’t in the mood to tackle anything concerning David Archuleta at the moment.
“Wasn’t my idea, mate,” was Michael’s quick defense and Cook could tell he was about to launch into a lengthy explanation, “Just following orders. Randy and Dr. Abdul had discovered that his powers are growing rapidly, as it is common to late bloomers. And he might find it difficult to control it if his powers get too big for him.”
Cook tried to digest what Michael had said. But his mind was just too exhausted to think so he just asked, “Do you believe he’s ready to go through skill training when he has not even gone through orientation yet?”
“Oh don’t worry about that,” Michael waved his hand and went on, “Brooke will be taking care of that in the morning.”
Now Cook started to wonder what the point was in placing David under his tutelage when there were obviously a lot of people, mentors even, who were involved in the boy’s education and training. He thought of raising the issue but then closed his mouth and decided not to dwell on it. “Whatever,” he huffed out, deciding to let everything fall in place instead, then, “I’m going for out for a smoke.”
It was a chilly night, a definite sign that autumn had pushed its way into their realm. Cook took a deep breath, enjoying the cool breeze that blew past him as soon as he stepped out of the patio at the back of the manor. He pulled out a slim silver case from his back pocket and took a stick of cigarette from it, slipping it into his mouth and lighting it before placing the silver case back where it came from.
He descended down the wide staircase, letting his mind finally relax. He stopped at the bottom and stretched his back, feeling every nerve and every muscle loosened up a bit. He was about to take a step towards the garden when someone spoke, “You shouldn’t be smoking.”
Cook knew whose voice it was even if he only heard it once and had only uttered a couple of words before. Without turning he said, “You shouldn’t be out here at this hour. There’s a curfew for you youngsters, you know.”
When he didn’t hear a response, just shuffling of feet against the ground, Cook turned just in time to see David Archuleta emerge from the shadow of the large leafy plants that lined the pathway leading to the courtyard.
“You should get some sleep. I hear you start orientation and training early tomorrow,” Cook tried his best not to sound too authoritative to avoid scaring the teenager.
David merely stared at him, licking his lips every now and then and his hands fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. He looked like he wanted to say more, but Cook just didn’t have the patience to push, so, “What? Are you limited to five words a day?”
The younger man’s forehead creased as he uttered, “Huh?”
Cook blew out the smoke and it formed a series of circles that floated through the air. “You hardly said a word other than I shouldn’t be smoking.”
“Uhm,” David struggled with his thoughts, but surprisingly, he didn’t even stammer when he said, “I really don’t know what to say.”
When such remarks would normally annoy Cook, it was unusual that he somehow felt beguiled with the younger man’s lack of verbal proficiency. Cook was deeply intrigued. It was going to be a challenge to handle him indeed.
“My name is David Cook,” he knew it was lame to switch to formal introductions, but he hoped it would help David feel at ease somehow.
“I know,” was the younger man’s barely audible response as he lowered his gaze to the ground. “They… they said you’ll be my handler?” he glanced up and met Cook’s eyes, worrying his lower lip between his teeth as Cook studied him for a while.
Cook tore his eyes away from David and took another puff from his cigarette. “That’s what they said,” he sounded a bit distant and maybe a little cold but it was only because his thoughts got lost in the scenery before him. He stared out into the distance, beyond the slope that led down to the cove. His eyes were fixed on the silver lining that had cut its way across the darkened sky.
He wasn’t sure how long the silence between him and David lingered. He just nodded once when the younger man bade him goodnight.
The room was wide.
It wasn’t exactly a room at all. But that was how Brooke referred to it when she instructed him to get inside. David looked around the empty area, noticing the steel walls that surrounded it and the metal floor beneath his feet. There was a tiny glass window against the wall near the ceiling, which, as he was told, was the control booth. The man, Chikezie, who he met earlier, stood at a corner as he was assigned to be his Hazard Ground guardian.
He had no idea what he was doing there. Maybe he should have listened more to Brooke during his orientation but he was too busy craning his head out the window of the ‘classroom’ looking for his handler. Wasn’t he supposed to be there with him all the time?
“Hello David,” a voice floated from the speakers somewhere around him and he had spoken countless times with Michael that it was easy enough to tell it was him. He started explaining how the basic skills training process would go about, something about holographic images that would serve as his opponents. “And don’t worry,” Michael went on and David’s mind was reeling as he struggled to grasp everything he had just been told, “We’ll maintain the battle sequence to a minimum level.”
Battle sequence? David thought and his mind nearly short-circuited when the lights went dim and several holographic robots emerged from the walls. The images advanced on him and started emitting… laser beams?
He felt something rising from the floor and all of a sudden, he found himself standing a rocky ground. The walls had turned into some form of a landscape that resembled a canyon. He jolted when a laser beam hit his shoulder and was surprised when a stinging feeling crawled through his arm. Wait. Are holographic blasts supposed to hurt?
«These are five-dimensional holographic images, David. It’s created from a very advanced program. So I’m afraid it could hurt a little when an image hits you,» he somehow heard Brooke’s voice in his thoughts. «But it could also be damaged.»
«Are you talking to me through your mind?» he couldn’t help but ask because he had never spoken to anyone telepathically before.
«Yes I am sweetie,» Brooke confirmed and David could almost feel her smile, and then, «Better concentrate so you can use your defenses. Focus on your ability. Let it flow through you.»
Another blast went past David’s arm and it made him duck behind a large rock. «I’m not going to use my powers. I can’t.»
«But you have to sweetie. We won’t be able to help you if you don’t show us how,» David could feel Brooke’s concern through the telepathic waves that swept through him.
The holographic robots were closing in, but David still refused to let go of the energy that was starting to build up inside him. Calm down, calm down, he coaxed himself so the fear or anger would not overcome his senses. He huddled behind the rock that seemed to be getting smaller every time a laser blast hit it.
“Do you want me to abort, David?” Michael’s voice reverberated. There was a crackling sound before his voice came on again, “Tell me if you wish to abort your training session.”
David mused over the situation. He knew he was going through this because he really needed help. He couldn’t hide from the bitter reality forever and if he didn’t learn to control whatever it was that made him different from the rest of humanity, he could very well be a danger to society.
“Tell me if you wish to abort, David,” came Michael’s voice, louder than before.
David was about to get up and say, ‘No, I’ll continue,’ but there was a sudden beeping sound that cut through the noise around him and then the holographic images slowly faded, the image of the landscape melted away to reveal the steel walls that surrounded the area and the rocky ground sank beneath the metal floors.
The lights went on and David blinked. When his eyes finally adjusted to the brightness, he saw that Chikezie had moved from the corner where he had last seen him and was approaching him with a look of confusion and worry. “Are you okay?” he asked and when David nodded, he opened his mouth to say something else but the sound of the huge metal doors sliding open distracted him.
David Cook walked in casually as if he had not interrupted an ongoing training session. One look at Chikezie and one nod was enough to make him leave and Cook strode further into the room gazing up at the control booth.
“What are you doing Dave?” Michael’s voice broke through the speakers once more.
“I’m his fucking handler am I not?” Cook spat, there was a distinct displeasure in his tone and David cringed at his cusses as Cook continued, “So that means I should stand as his fucking guardian during his skill training here at the Hazard Ground or out on the Raging Field.”
“Well I didn’t think you’d be interested on the job, mate,” was Michael’s return, and David could hear the snicker that he was trying to hold back. “But of course, I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away.”
“Fuck you,” Cook glared at the glass window as if he could see Michael clearly.
David heard muffled laughter that was without a doubt coming from the control booth. He almost jumped when Cook spoke in a firm and loud voice, “Shall we get started?”
Michael apologized repeatedly in between sniggering. And while sniggering still, he asked, “Beginner’s skill level one?”
There was some sort of a glimmer on Cook’s eyes as he looked at David and his mouth twitched to one side when he said, “No. Make it skill two level three.”
Several reactions were heard from the booth, voices intertwining as words like “Shit” or “Fuck” or “What the hell” were uttered. And if David remembered part of his orientation correctly, skills training were broken down to several types of skill, which determined the stage of learning and the level of difficulty. Skill two was definitely not for beginners like him, it was like placing a four-year-old in a fourth grade class as Brooke had explained. But he should at least believe that his handler knew what he was doing, right?
“You’re insane Cook. The boy had not even started with his training.” There was this certain seriousness on Michael’s tone, something that seemed to be filled with apprehension.
“I’m here aren’t I?” was all Cook offered, and David could feel the tension that rose in the air.
There seemed to be a lot of hesitation from Michael but he acquiesced in the end and breathed out, “Very well. I sure hope you know what you’re doing.”
David’s heart began to race as the lights dimmed once more and the walls seemed to crumble to reveal nothing but darkness and the floor vibrated as it turned into another form of terrain.
Holographic images started forming out of thin air and this time it wasn’t the robots that resembled those in Robot War. This time, images of what he guessed were likewise mutants appeared. And his guess were confirmed as soon as several images started shooting off red and green and even blue lights from their hands. Some exploded when it hit something, which made him hide behind a battle tank lying on its side. And some, like the green light, melted the holographic jeep that David didn’t notice at his far right before.
Now David understood why Michael was apprehensive. This was more dangerous than the robots whose laser beams only stung when it hit you. He gulped as he imagined himself on that jeep’s place.
“This is your training session, David,” Cook’s voice suddenly rung on his ears, “So anytime you feel like stepping in dude.”
David glanced around the tank he had been hiding behind and saw Cook spewing out fine frozen particles directly at the advancing images, covering it in a sheath of ice. The older man was down on one knee to keep his balance as he ducked sideways to avoid a blast directed at him. He raised a hand and David’s jaw dropped when he saw an ice shield formed before Cook, blocking any further attacks that came his way.
Cook turned to David and was nearly yelling as the sounds of the attacks resounded around them. “Need I remind you that you’re supposed to be the one showing us what you—“
The ice shield exploded and it sent Cook flying across the room. And everything else happened in a fraction of a second and all David could do was gasp as some form of tentacles that seemed to spawn out of a weird-looking holographic individual wrapped around Cook’s form and lifted him off the ground.
“Aaaahhh!!!” Cook yelled and his face was twisted in agony.
“Cook!” David had no clue what gave him the courage to step out from his hiding place but he found his feet leading him to where Cook was being squeezed like a piece of fruit.
The older man was struggling. David could see him touch the tentacles around him and attempted to freeze it but only the surface of a small portion was sheathed in ice, which melted in an instant. Cook looked at him, and there was something in his eyes that seemed to encourage David that it was all right for him to fight back.
Cook trembled and David guessed that the hold on him was tightening and he was slowly slumping, which David knew was a sign that he was losing consciousness.
“No!” David didn’t even notice the blast that almost hit him. His focus was on Cook, and out of desperation, he yelled, “Abort Michael! Abort!”
But Michael sounded like he was on the verge of panic when he said, “I can’t David! Cook had frozen up the controls. You have to help him!”
Cook opened his mouth as if to draw his last breath and David could feel the anger, the panic, the fear rising from within him and the familiar surge of energy built up within his core; then he shouted, “Noooo!!!” as he released the energy that crawled through the ground like some form of a current. The energy sparked flames and it soared up once it reached the holographic image that had Cook on its grasp, and it instantly burned to cinders.
David raised his hand when the flames crept along the tentacles holding Cook in an attempt to manipulate its flow so it would not reach his handler but the flames seemed stubborn and refused to surrender to his control. He was nearly in panic. But then the tip of the offending elongated tactile loosened and released the older man just before the flames reached him. David sighed and ran over to where Cook fell.
A blast that landed a few inches by his foot reminded David that it wasn’t over. There were still several holographic opponents that were approaching. He stood and raised both arms, yelling, “Enough!” as balls of fire were emitted from his hands, hitting the images with great force that sent them hurling into the distance.
The flames, surprisingly just held them as restraints until the images fell unconscious and there was a beeping sound somewhere before a computerized voice floated, “Sequence completed. Hazard Ground Trainee succeeded.”
Just like that, the holographic images disappeared and everything turned back to its normal state as the lights went on once more.
David almost gasped to see Cook sitting up straight and grinning. He gave a nod of what David guessed was an approval. “I knew you had it in you, kid.”
“I’m not a kid,” was David’s quick response, although he couldn’t stop the corner of his lips from curving upward.
Michael’s voice broke the momentary silence. “Are you guys all right?”
Cook looked straight at David as if he was pondering, but he smirked nonetheless, “Yeah. We’re fine.”
David couldn’t agree more to that. He could feel a different kind of heat rising on his cheeks as he thought about looking forward to more training sessions with David Cook.
~ tbc ~
=========================================================
Comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.
Author:
clover71Pairing: David Cook/ David Archuleta
Rating: PG-13 (for the swear words)
Description: AU story. A sci-fi!fic patterned from the likes of X-Men, Generation X, X-Factor and other old X titles.
Summary: After an unfortunate accident involving David Archuleta’s family and his growing powers, he was sent to Jackson Institute where he was placed under the tutelage of David Cook, the arrogant and over-confident mentor.
Disclaimer:
1) Please note that this is purely fiction and none of the contents are real except for some of the characters used in this story.
2) Most characters used are based on real people but the details within do not purposely imply occurrences in real life; thus, anything here that concurs with real events may be completely coincidental.
3) This fic is created based solely on the imagination of the author and for non-profitable purpose.
Previous Parts: MASTER POST
Author's notes:
- Notes from the first part
- Some of terms here are non-existent, i.e. 'five-dimensional', which I'm not even sure is being used already. But this is a make-believe world and we can just pretend that such advanced stuff exists.
- This was not beta'ed, so please excuse any mistake on grammar or spelling. As you all probably know by now, I normally write when I'm sleep-deprived.
Vol. 1.03
~ begin ~
“We haven’t fully discovered what exactly his ability is,” Brooke handed Cook the folder containing David Archuleta’s record. She wasn’t the least bit surprised when Cook had started demanding for information about David as soon as he got back after being gone for what seemed like only seconds. She and Randy had telepathically sensed his encounter with the boy. “Although we can give a good guess. So far, based on the twenty-four hour observation, we’ve discovered that temperature increases within the area where David is whenever his blood pressure rises.”
“You mean, when he’s angry?” Cook interjected.
“Or upset, or scared, or maybe even overly excited,” Brooke added. She went on explaining how they first thought it was the boy’s body temperature that reacted to the change in his brain activity and blood pressure when he was unconscious, but they discovered later on that David was in fact emitting enormous heat energy from his body. “So the infrared thermometer actually picked up the heat energy surrounding his body and not from within,” she pointed out, showing Cook the detailed reports of David’s evaluation.
“Wait,” Cook raised his hand before Brooke could continue, “You mean to tell me he’s a potential…” He didn’t find a need to say anything more because Brooke was already nodding her head. “Stop reading my mind, lady.”
Brooke sniggered. “I wasn’t reading your mind, Dave,” she said with a playful smirk. “You’re just too transparent.”
Cook dropped the folder on Randy’s desk and rubbed his face with his hands, grumbling, “I don’t believe this.” He turned to Brooke, willing her to say that she was simply pulling his leg. But she just crossed her arms over her chest and gave her usual I’m-not-reading-your-mind-so-speak-up look.
Randy walked in just as Cook was saying, “So is this a fucking practical joke? Placing someone with the exact opposite ability I have under my freaking tutelage?”
“We thought you’d like the challenge,” Randy said nonchalantly and added, “Mr. Archuleta already left but he wanted me to tell you how much he appreciates your willingness to take his son under your wing.” He raised an eyebrow when Cook snorted but he went on, saying, “And he also thinks we couldn’t have picked a better handler. I hear you have quite an effect on the boy.”
Cook could tell Randy was teasing. Sure, the headmaster was quite difficult to read but Cook did not need to be a telepath to know that Randy was getting to a point wherein he would mess with his head until he was comfortable enough to give in to whatever idea that was stirring up in the headmaster’s seemingly unlimited brain.
Then Brooke had to add fuel to the fire with, “Yeah, I heard he finally spoke,” which apparently reminded Cook to ask what he had been meaning to.
“What’s with his long-time silence anyway?” he raised, recalling that he had not heard the boy speak until moments earlier, not even when he went to the medical wing to pay him a visit the other day.
“There was an accident involving David and his siblings seven months ago,” a look of sorrow swept over Brooke’s face and she paused a moment, as if contemplating whether she should say anything more about it. Sighing, she went on and, “Since then, he seemed to have locked himself inside his own world and refused to speak to anyone.”
“Until today, that is,” Randy had rounded his table and settled on his high-back chair.
“Should I be flattered?” Cook asked but when all he got was an unreadable look from the headmaster and a raised eyebrow from his colleague, he continued, “What accident was that anyway?”
Brooke simply shook her head. “His father refused to get into the details, so we didn’t push it.”
“But that doesn’t mean you don’t know,” Cook could tell there was more to it than she was letting on. He knew that even if Brooke and Randy followed a certain code of ethics when it comes to mind-reading, they have other means of digging for information. “Let me guess,” Cook said when neither of his companions spoke, “You’re not gonna tell me anything. I’m gonna have to find out for myself, right?”
Cook didn’t see David until dinner that night. The young man was seated along with the other youngsters they had rescued recently, as well as the long-time young students at the institute. He didn’t seem to take part in the conversation but he did smile occasionally and glanced at Cook’s direction once in a while.
“I hear you got yourself an apprentice,” Michael said, leaning closer to Cook as he returned the platter he was holding at the center of their table.
Carly, who was on Cook’s other side, followed up with, “I’m glad you decided to give teaching another try,” before Cook could say anything.
“About time too,” Jason jumped in and he cowered slightly when Cook glared at him from across the table. ”Uhm… uh-I mean, it’s been two years since –“
“That doesn’t have anything to do with my decision,” Cook quickly cut Jason off before he could say anything more and he was grateful when Kristy joined them right at that moment with her usual daily dose of gossip.
Cook spent hours in the research room after dinner. He decided to check the information Carly had been able to gather and had left in his inbox folder. There was nothing more than what he had already heard, except some bits and pieces.
Hmm…Interesting, Cook thought. He found an article about illegal experiments involving bio-chemical and organic weapons that had been concluded to be extremely dangerous; thus, the government had ordered the military agency responsible to shut it down completely. There had been attempts to resurrect the project but–
He caught something interesting on the page that had just come into view. With his eyes still intently fixed on the computer’s screen, he clicked on the link of the article’s title: ‘Fire destroyed home in Utah, killed 2 children, 1 left in critical condition, oldest son faces blame on arson.’
He dropped the pen that was caught between his teeth, which bounced off on the keyboard, when a photo of a teenager appeared on the screen. “Holy mother fucker,” Cook blurted and his hand gripped tightly on the mouse as he scrolled down on the article, reading some lines twice to make it sink in.
No faulty electrical wires, no broken gas pipes were found, Cook read on, eyes skimming over the bright surface of the monitor. He was too concentrated on what he was reading that he did not give heed to the puffing sound behind him.
“You’re still working?” Jason took the seat right next to Cook.
“Just reading some stuffs Carly left for me,” Cook said without looking away from the screen. “What time is it anyway?”
“Almost eleven,” was Jason’s reply. His fingers began working on the keyboard. “Mike is looking for you, by the way. Says he wants to discuss David’s training program with you. I think he plans to have him start at the Hazard Ground tomorrow.”
“Already?” Cook quickly turned to Jason, “Isn’t it too soon? The boy hasn’t been properly oriented yet.”
“I don’t know anything man,” Jason turned to Cook briefly and shrugged a shoulder. “Just passing a message, that‘s all.”
“Fine. I’ll go find Johns,” Cook decided and he closed out the browser window before heading over to the den at the upper ground level of the manor where Jason said he might find Michael.
“Ah! Just the man I need,” was Michael’s reaction when Cook entered the room..
“So what’s with this putting David up on a Hazard Ground session?” Cook preferred to go straight to the point. It was late and he was tired and he wanted to call it a night. And he certainly wasn’t in the mood to tackle anything concerning David Archuleta at the moment.
“Wasn’t my idea, mate,” was Michael’s quick defense and Cook could tell he was about to launch into a lengthy explanation, “Just following orders. Randy and Dr. Abdul had discovered that his powers are growing rapidly, as it is common to late bloomers. And he might find it difficult to control it if his powers get too big for him.”
Cook tried to digest what Michael had said. But his mind was just too exhausted to think so he just asked, “Do you believe he’s ready to go through skill training when he has not even gone through orientation yet?”
“Oh don’t worry about that,” Michael waved his hand and went on, “Brooke will be taking care of that in the morning.”
Now Cook started to wonder what the point was in placing David under his tutelage when there were obviously a lot of people, mentors even, who were involved in the boy’s education and training. He thought of raising the issue but then closed his mouth and decided not to dwell on it. “Whatever,” he huffed out, deciding to let everything fall in place instead, then, “I’m going for out for a smoke.”
It was a chilly night, a definite sign that autumn had pushed its way into their realm. Cook took a deep breath, enjoying the cool breeze that blew past him as soon as he stepped out of the patio at the back of the manor. He pulled out a slim silver case from his back pocket and took a stick of cigarette from it, slipping it into his mouth and lighting it before placing the silver case back where it came from.
He descended down the wide staircase, letting his mind finally relax. He stopped at the bottom and stretched his back, feeling every nerve and every muscle loosened up a bit. He was about to take a step towards the garden when someone spoke, “You shouldn’t be smoking.”
Cook knew whose voice it was even if he only heard it once and had only uttered a couple of words before. Without turning he said, “You shouldn’t be out here at this hour. There’s a curfew for you youngsters, you know.”
When he didn’t hear a response, just shuffling of feet against the ground, Cook turned just in time to see David Archuleta emerge from the shadow of the large leafy plants that lined the pathway leading to the courtyard.
“You should get some sleep. I hear you start orientation and training early tomorrow,” Cook tried his best not to sound too authoritative to avoid scaring the teenager.
David merely stared at him, licking his lips every now and then and his hands fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. He looked like he wanted to say more, but Cook just didn’t have the patience to push, so, “What? Are you limited to five words a day?”
The younger man’s forehead creased as he uttered, “Huh?”
Cook blew out the smoke and it formed a series of circles that floated through the air. “You hardly said a word other than I shouldn’t be smoking.”
“Uhm,” David struggled with his thoughts, but surprisingly, he didn’t even stammer when he said, “I really don’t know what to say.”
When such remarks would normally annoy Cook, it was unusual that he somehow felt beguiled with the younger man’s lack of verbal proficiency. Cook was deeply intrigued. It was going to be a challenge to handle him indeed.
“My name is David Cook,” he knew it was lame to switch to formal introductions, but he hoped it would help David feel at ease somehow.
“I know,” was the younger man’s barely audible response as he lowered his gaze to the ground. “They… they said you’ll be my handler?” he glanced up and met Cook’s eyes, worrying his lower lip between his teeth as Cook studied him for a while.
Cook tore his eyes away from David and took another puff from his cigarette. “That’s what they said,” he sounded a bit distant and maybe a little cold but it was only because his thoughts got lost in the scenery before him. He stared out into the distance, beyond the slope that led down to the cove. His eyes were fixed on the silver lining that had cut its way across the darkened sky.
He wasn’t sure how long the silence between him and David lingered. He just nodded once when the younger man bade him goodnight.
>> ☼ <<
The room was wide.
It wasn’t exactly a room at all. But that was how Brooke referred to it when she instructed him to get inside. David looked around the empty area, noticing the steel walls that surrounded it and the metal floor beneath his feet. There was a tiny glass window against the wall near the ceiling, which, as he was told, was the control booth. The man, Chikezie, who he met earlier, stood at a corner as he was assigned to be his Hazard Ground guardian.
He had no idea what he was doing there. Maybe he should have listened more to Brooke during his orientation but he was too busy craning his head out the window of the ‘classroom’ looking for his handler. Wasn’t he supposed to be there with him all the time?
“Hello David,” a voice floated from the speakers somewhere around him and he had spoken countless times with Michael that it was easy enough to tell it was him. He started explaining how the basic skills training process would go about, something about holographic images that would serve as his opponents. “And don’t worry,” Michael went on and David’s mind was reeling as he struggled to grasp everything he had just been told, “We’ll maintain the battle sequence to a minimum level.”
Battle sequence? David thought and his mind nearly short-circuited when the lights went dim and several holographic robots emerged from the walls. The images advanced on him and started emitting… laser beams?
He felt something rising from the floor and all of a sudden, he found himself standing a rocky ground. The walls had turned into some form of a landscape that resembled a canyon. He jolted when a laser beam hit his shoulder and was surprised when a stinging feeling crawled through his arm. Wait. Are holographic blasts supposed to hurt?
«These are five-dimensional holographic images, David. It’s created from a very advanced program. So I’m afraid it could hurt a little when an image hits you,» he somehow heard Brooke’s voice in his thoughts. «But it could also be damaged.»
«Are you talking to me through your mind?» he couldn’t help but ask because he had never spoken to anyone telepathically before.
«Yes I am sweetie,» Brooke confirmed and David could almost feel her smile, and then, «Better concentrate so you can use your defenses. Focus on your ability. Let it flow through you.»
Another blast went past David’s arm and it made him duck behind a large rock. «I’m not going to use my powers. I can’t.»
«But you have to sweetie. We won’t be able to help you if you don’t show us how,» David could feel Brooke’s concern through the telepathic waves that swept through him.
The holographic robots were closing in, but David still refused to let go of the energy that was starting to build up inside him. Calm down, calm down, he coaxed himself so the fear or anger would not overcome his senses. He huddled behind the rock that seemed to be getting smaller every time a laser blast hit it.
“Do you want me to abort, David?” Michael’s voice reverberated. There was a crackling sound before his voice came on again, “Tell me if you wish to abort your training session.”
David mused over the situation. He knew he was going through this because he really needed help. He couldn’t hide from the bitter reality forever and if he didn’t learn to control whatever it was that made him different from the rest of humanity, he could very well be a danger to society.
“Tell me if you wish to abort, David,” came Michael’s voice, louder than before.
David was about to get up and say, ‘No, I’ll continue,’ but there was a sudden beeping sound that cut through the noise around him and then the holographic images slowly faded, the image of the landscape melted away to reveal the steel walls that surrounded the area and the rocky ground sank beneath the metal floors.
The lights went on and David blinked. When his eyes finally adjusted to the brightness, he saw that Chikezie had moved from the corner where he had last seen him and was approaching him with a look of confusion and worry. “Are you okay?” he asked and when David nodded, he opened his mouth to say something else but the sound of the huge metal doors sliding open distracted him.
David Cook walked in casually as if he had not interrupted an ongoing training session. One look at Chikezie and one nod was enough to make him leave and Cook strode further into the room gazing up at the control booth.
“What are you doing Dave?” Michael’s voice broke through the speakers once more.
“I’m his fucking handler am I not?” Cook spat, there was a distinct displeasure in his tone and David cringed at his cusses as Cook continued, “So that means I should stand as his fucking guardian during his skill training here at the Hazard Ground or out on the Raging Field.”
“Well I didn’t think you’d be interested on the job, mate,” was Michael’s return, and David could hear the snicker that he was trying to hold back. “But of course, I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away.”
“Fuck you,” Cook glared at the glass window as if he could see Michael clearly.
David heard muffled laughter that was without a doubt coming from the control booth. He almost jumped when Cook spoke in a firm and loud voice, “Shall we get started?”
Michael apologized repeatedly in between sniggering. And while sniggering still, he asked, “Beginner’s skill level one?”
There was some sort of a glimmer on Cook’s eyes as he looked at David and his mouth twitched to one side when he said, “No. Make it skill two level three.”
Several reactions were heard from the booth, voices intertwining as words like “Shit” or “Fuck” or “What the hell” were uttered. And if David remembered part of his orientation correctly, skills training were broken down to several types of skill, which determined the stage of learning and the level of difficulty. Skill two was definitely not for beginners like him, it was like placing a four-year-old in a fourth grade class as Brooke had explained. But he should at least believe that his handler knew what he was doing, right?
“You’re insane Cook. The boy had not even started with his training.” There was this certain seriousness on Michael’s tone, something that seemed to be filled with apprehension.
“I’m here aren’t I?” was all Cook offered, and David could feel the tension that rose in the air.
There seemed to be a lot of hesitation from Michael but he acquiesced in the end and breathed out, “Very well. I sure hope you know what you’re doing.”
David’s heart began to race as the lights dimmed once more and the walls seemed to crumble to reveal nothing but darkness and the floor vibrated as it turned into another form of terrain.
Holographic images started forming out of thin air and this time it wasn’t the robots that resembled those in Robot War. This time, images of what he guessed were likewise mutants appeared. And his guess were confirmed as soon as several images started shooting off red and green and even blue lights from their hands. Some exploded when it hit something, which made him hide behind a battle tank lying on its side. And some, like the green light, melted the holographic jeep that David didn’t notice at his far right before.
Now David understood why Michael was apprehensive. This was more dangerous than the robots whose laser beams only stung when it hit you. He gulped as he imagined himself on that jeep’s place.
“This is your training session, David,” Cook’s voice suddenly rung on his ears, “So anytime you feel like stepping in dude.”
David glanced around the tank he had been hiding behind and saw Cook spewing out fine frozen particles directly at the advancing images, covering it in a sheath of ice. The older man was down on one knee to keep his balance as he ducked sideways to avoid a blast directed at him. He raised a hand and David’s jaw dropped when he saw an ice shield formed before Cook, blocking any further attacks that came his way.
Cook turned to David and was nearly yelling as the sounds of the attacks resounded around them. “Need I remind you that you’re supposed to be the one showing us what you—“
The ice shield exploded and it sent Cook flying across the room. And everything else happened in a fraction of a second and all David could do was gasp as some form of tentacles that seemed to spawn out of a weird-looking holographic individual wrapped around Cook’s form and lifted him off the ground.
“Aaaahhh!!!” Cook yelled and his face was twisted in agony.
“Cook!” David had no clue what gave him the courage to step out from his hiding place but he found his feet leading him to where Cook was being squeezed like a piece of fruit.
The older man was struggling. David could see him touch the tentacles around him and attempted to freeze it but only the surface of a small portion was sheathed in ice, which melted in an instant. Cook looked at him, and there was something in his eyes that seemed to encourage David that it was all right for him to fight back.
Cook trembled and David guessed that the hold on him was tightening and he was slowly slumping, which David knew was a sign that he was losing consciousness.
“No!” David didn’t even notice the blast that almost hit him. His focus was on Cook, and out of desperation, he yelled, “Abort Michael! Abort!”
But Michael sounded like he was on the verge of panic when he said, “I can’t David! Cook had frozen up the controls. You have to help him!”
Cook opened his mouth as if to draw his last breath and David could feel the anger, the panic, the fear rising from within him and the familiar surge of energy built up within his core; then he shouted, “Noooo!!!” as he released the energy that crawled through the ground like some form of a current. The energy sparked flames and it soared up once it reached the holographic image that had Cook on its grasp, and it instantly burned to cinders.
David raised his hand when the flames crept along the tentacles holding Cook in an attempt to manipulate its flow so it would not reach his handler but the flames seemed stubborn and refused to surrender to his control. He was nearly in panic. But then the tip of the offending elongated tactile loosened and released the older man just before the flames reached him. David sighed and ran over to where Cook fell.
A blast that landed a few inches by his foot reminded David that it wasn’t over. There were still several holographic opponents that were approaching. He stood and raised both arms, yelling, “Enough!” as balls of fire were emitted from his hands, hitting the images with great force that sent them hurling into the distance.
The flames, surprisingly just held them as restraints until the images fell unconscious and there was a beeping sound somewhere before a computerized voice floated, “Sequence completed. Hazard Ground Trainee succeeded.”
Just like that, the holographic images disappeared and everything turned back to its normal state as the lights went on once more.
David almost gasped to see Cook sitting up straight and grinning. He gave a nod of what David guessed was an approval. “I knew you had it in you, kid.”
“I’m not a kid,” was David’s quick response, although he couldn’t stop the corner of his lips from curving upward.
Michael’s voice broke the momentary silence. “Are you guys all right?”
Cook looked straight at David as if he was pondering, but he smirked nonetheless, “Yeah. We’re fine.”
David couldn’t agree more to that. He could feel a different kind of heat rising on his cheeks as he thought about looking forward to more training sessions with David Cook.
~ tbc ~
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